Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-06-29
Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM ROCK HILL.

letter from the U. s. Department of Agri-
culture to Capt. Iredell Jones, which may
be of benefit to the public. The letter is
written by Norman j. Coleman, Commits
sioner:
"Your letter of the 18th instant, accompanied
by specimens of the chinch bug, has been re-
ceived and referred to the entomologlst, VINO
reports as follows:
1.-THE chinch bug is, perhaps, the most diff
cult insect to fight in the whole range OF econ
omic entomology, and there are really no new
and improved methods Of encompasslng its de-
struction. Where the insect occurs as in your
locality, upon small grain, there is no present
remedy. 1t may be prevented to a certain eN-
tent from crossing to your corn-fields, by sur
rounding said fields with a ditch, which IN
compact soil may be only q single plow 1urfow
with the perpendicular side towards the head
to be protected.
with a little watching and occasional drag
ging of brush through the furrow to keep the
soil friable, this method will keep the corn
fields reasonably clear from immlgratlng ougs:
After the corn-tield has once been Stocked, Dut
little can be done. 1t has been shown that a
dilute kerosene emulsion, sprayed wltha force
pump upon corn, will kill the bugs, but upon
field corn on a large scale, this remedy wonlo
be too expensive to be worth trying.
"After all, the. best means that can De en-
ployed against this insect are the PreYentlVe
methods, and these consist in the main OF clean
cultivation and the collecting and burning of
all the rubbish during the winter, and the burn
ing over of such uncultivated gullies and fence
corners as may occur upon the farm.
'The bugs hibernate in the winter in the per-
feet state, under rubbish of all kinds, and hence
the necessity of this cleaning up work. Where
this is done, the farmer will not be troubled to
any great extent with the bugs, except by the
flying in of the, winged individuals from ad-
Joining and more carelessly cultivated farms.
CONSERVATION has taught that wet weather is
,,o.., y, ~ VIZ h1o RI tho ipnraqSa of the bnp.
and that when presentin enormous numbers IT
will. be speedily destroyed by successive hard
showers. Hence the very good remedy OF IT.
rigation has been suggested by us, butof course
the localities where this can be practlced are
few and far between.
"Another remedy which promises some
practicable results is the sowing of a border OF
spring wheat around a field Of winter wheat.
The bugs will collect on the spring wheat as
soon as it has come up we'll, and they can then
be destroyed by spraying with kerosene OH;
Rotation Of crops is another preventive.
And diversified farming brings about the great
est immunity from insects.
'The following conclusions of the late Mr..
LeBaron are very much to the point:
"'1. That it is useless to attempt to raise
spring wheat or barley where chinch bugs have
been present in any considerable numbers the
preceding year, unless we have reason to believe
that they have been killed off by heavy rains.
"t2. That in case the season should be favor
able to the propagation Of the chinch bug, we
always have it in our power to get rid OF the
pest by the abandonment of these two kinds of
grain for one or two years. But to make this
course effective there must be a concert OF
action by farmers over a considerable sectlon
of country.
"'3. That the presence of chinch bugs the
preceding year, will not prevent the raising OF
corn or any Of the winter grains.
"'4. With regard to oats, the testimony thus
far is that if this grain be sown where chinch
bugs abound, and especially If it is sown ex-
clusively, it will be damaged to a greater or less
extent the first year, but that the bugs prooa-
bly, will not continue to breed in 1T to any great
extent in succeeding years.
"Itis expected that the next annual report OF
this department, viz, that for 1887, will contain
an extended article upon this insect, as all OF
the published accounts are out OF print, ana as
the insect has been doing considerable damage
both the present season and for one or two
seasons past"
Our town is certainly on a building
boom. In addition to the buildings which
are being rebuilt on the bur1t district, DIR.
j. B. Patrick has contracted for the cree
ton of handsome two story dwelling on
Hampton street. Mr.. E. B. Rock is build
ing a neat cottage on Railroad street. MI.
J. e. Miller will build a cottage on the
lot adjoining Mr.. Rocks. Mr.. M. w.
Russell is building a two-story dwelling
house on Main street near the Presbyterl-
an Church. Plans and specifications for
the Rock Hill Academy, which will be OF
brick, tin roof, so x So feet, have been
made, and work on the building will begin
in a short time. The town authorities
have contracted for the immediate cree
ton of a brick, tin roof, engine house,
which will be located on the corner OF
Railroad and Main streets. There is not
q dwelling house for rent in our town, ana
in several instances two families are living
in the same house.
A basket picnic will be given at Ebene-
ger Church on July Fourth. Hon. John
J.. Hemphill has accepted an Invitation
to deliver an address on the occasion.
The Gold Hill brass band has been in
vited to furnish the music. A pleasant
time is anticipated, and those in charge
will be pleased to see all who desire to at
tend. The merchants of our town have
agreed to suspend business on that day.
And the country people will do we'll to re-
member this and ave an unnecessary trip
to town.
On Sunday night last, at the hour Of 8
O'Clock, Mr.. E. r. Avery, while sitting
with his wife, on the front porch Of the
residence of Mrs. James M. Ivy, had his
attention attracted by a disturbance among
the COWS in the stable lot in rear of the
house. Going at once to the spot he dis
covered one of the COWS missing, and i'm
mediately made search for it and discov-
cred the cow tied up behind the stable
ready to be slaughtered, "a platform hav-
ing been arranged for the purpose. On
approaching, Mr.. Avery saw two or three
persons running from thespot. MI. Avery
has no idea who the persons are. The
robbery was we'll planned and evidently
showed that the persons knew their busl-
ness.
During the last week the smoke house
of Mr.. VIM. Whyte, our trial justice, was
robbed.
One morning of last week a colored man,
leading a cow, called at the residence OF
Mr.. VIM. Thomasson, three miles from
this place, and offered it for sale at a rea-
sonable price. The animal was purchased
by Mr.. Thomasson. The negro, who was
"a stranger, stated that his mule had died
and he was compelled to sell the cow to
raise money to work his crop. A few days
after the transaction a colored mar living
on a plantation of Capt. w. L.. Roddey,
called upon Mr.. Thomasson and demand
ed the cow, stating that the COW had been
stolen from his wife a few days ago. Mr.:
Thomasson being satisfied that he had
purchased stolen property, turned the cow
over to its oWner.
The many friends of DR.. Thomas G. Rob.
ertson, ex-Treasurer of this county, will
regret to learn of his misfortune, having
lost by death his only son, Allen Jones,
aged 8 years. The little fellow died at
Columbia, on Saturday last, after a painful
illness of several weeks. His disease bat-
fed the skill of the physicians, and the
little fellows sufferings were intense.
The blackberry crop, which never fails,
comes in good time this year, as it is about
the only fruit we have, and the housekeep-